Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)

School

Management

Advisor

John Bryan

Abstract

Business executives risk higher healthcare costs and absenteeism rates without implementing cost-effective strategies to support wellness within the organization. To offset rising healthcare costs and absenteeism, executives should implement wellness programs as a component of the benefits package provided to their employees and families. Grounded in the theory of planned behavior, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the cost-effective strategies that executives in the private and not-for-profit sectors implemented to encourage employees to adopt healthy habits for increasing productivity and decreasing organizations’ healthcare costs. Six executives from the healthcare sector within the southern region of the United States participated in semistructured interviews and shared documents for thematic analysis. The four primary themes include cost-effective strategies to motivate employees, key barriers to wellness programs, a culture of wellness, and leadership roles and engagement. The key recommendation for private and not-for-profit executives is to implement an inclusive, accessible wellness culture for all members. The implications for social change involve possible reductions of health care costs when community members have access to holistic wellness programs.

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